Southern W.Va. gets hit again by Sunday storm

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The southern part of the West Virginia was dealt another blow after a Sunday night thunderstorm produced more damaging winds.

"I was really worried about the southern counties last night," said Nick Webb, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston. "A line of storms really blew up in Eastern Kentucky toward Mingo and Logan ... It kept intensifying as it moved east."

Hundreds of thousands of customers throughout the West Virginia had already lost power after a storm Friday night. On Monday afternoon, about 60 percent of the state, or 263,845 customers, didn't have power, according to Appalachian Power's website.

In Mingo County, more power outages from downed trees and power lines were reported Sunday night after the storm, a 911 dispatcher said.

A part of W.Va. 44 near Horsepen Mountain in Gilbert is now blocked because of trees in the road, according to a dispatcher.

Nearly 10,000 customers, about 63 percent of Mingo, was without power around noon on Monday, according to AEP's website.

Around 13,000 customers in Logan remained without power Monday and more trees on power lines were reported Sunday night, a 911 dispatcher said.

The airport in Beckley reported winds at 59 miles per hour at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, and Bluefield recorded at least 48 mile per hour winds, Webb said.

In Mercer County, more power outages were reported Sunday night than Friday, a 911 dispatcher said.

More downed trees and power lines in Mercer and McDowell counties were reported to emergency dispatchers after a strong lightning storm around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

McDowell County reported around 6,000 customers without power around 11 a.m. Monday, and Mercer about 11,000, according to AEP's website.

Water service is out in Gary and Roderfield in McDowell, a dispatcher said, and the majority of Welch is now without power.

In Raleigh County, Sunday's storm caused additional power outages, an emergency dispatcher said. On Monday, 26,400 were still without power, or about 65 percent of the county.